Chapter eight

Caroline pulled up outside Bonnie's house. Her nerves were still shaken by the truths that had uncurled themselves out. Any doubt that she had over how things would work out were laid to rest now that she knew the truth about Klaus. Levi was fond of his father but how could she allow her son to be in the company of someone who had done such despicable things. Did she really want Levi to grow up learning about all the wrongs thing from Klaus who didn't care if he was a bad or good influence on his son?

Caroline switched the engine off of her car and made her way towards Bonnie and Jeremy's house. Caroline could hear lots of raucous laughter along with Jeremy's voice telling them to keep it down. Caroline knocked on the door and was greeted to a very flustered Jeremey. Caroline finally smiled for the first time that evening, Jeremy was covered head to toe in flour.

"Let me guess pancakes?" Caroline asked amused.

Jeremy laughed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Two's a handful but three are monsters." Jeremy joked as he opened the door further to allow Caroline to come into the foyer of their house.

Jeremy and Bonnie had been Caroline's closest friends in High School. They had been known as the trio in Mystic Falls and anyone who knew them knew that they couldn't be separated. Bonnie and Jeremy had been dating since sophomore year. Two years after school, Jeremy plucked some nerves to ask Bonnie to marry him. Anyone who had known Bonnie knew that she wanted to be psychologist and Caroline had also worried for Jeremy that she might have said no. Bonnie had never spoken about the M word. But to everyone's surprise Bonnie had been ecstatic and the two married three months later. Nine months later she gave birth to twins, Sabrina and Aaron. Jeremy became a stay at home dad and Bonnie carried on going to school. The two were the happiest couple that Caroline had ever met.

"Where are the tykes? And where is Bonnie?" Caroline smiled.

"Tykes in the kitchen and Bonnie is upstairs working on her thesis." Jeremy walked into the kitchen and Caroline followed.

The kitchen looked as if a flour bomb had exploded and in the mess were three naughty chubby faces covered in flour with mischief gleams in their eyes. Levi spotted Caroline and made a bee line towards his mom.

"Mom look lots of flower." He exclaimed loudly as he entwined his arms around Caroline's legs.

Caroline gave a small giggle as she patted Levi's curls and watched as Jeremy grabbed the twins and placed each one on his hip.

"Okay bath time. Come Levi let's get you cleaned up." Jeremy said in his friendly growly voice that he used on the kids.

"Thanks Jer, I'll cleanup for you." Caroline offered.

Jeremy shook his head.

"Don't worry about it Care, besides the Mrs. wants to talk to you." Jeremy walked out the room kids in tow.

Caroline made her way upstairs towards Bonnie's study. She peaked round the door and could see Bonnie, glasses resting on the tip of her nose as she chewed thoughtfully at the end of her pen.

"Hey Bon." Caroline knocked softly on the door.

Bonnie glanced up and smiled when she saw her friend.

"Hey Care, sorry I'm so busy with this damn thesis. I was supposed to help Jeremy with the kids but I just couldn't tear myself away." Bonnie stood up and clicked her back stretching out due to the long hours she sat seated.

"Jer looks like he did okay. The kitchen just a mess." Caroline smirked.

"Pancake night?" Bonnie asked with a smile.

Caroline nodded.

"Bless him." Bonnie shook her head.

Bonnie gave her friend a once over before cracking up in a smile.

"So how did the date go?" She asked in a sing song voice.

Caroline wanted to slap her forehead. She was wearing a jacket Stefan had leant her when he had greeted her goodbye at her car. He had been worried that she would catch a cold.

"Um I can explain." Caroline said lamely, she felt rather embarrassed she had told Bonnie that she was working late. Not going on a date.

"You don't have to explain anything. Just give me all the dish on this guy and your little lie will be forgiven." Bonnie grinned ear to ear.

Caroline sighed. Guess she would have to sugar coat the deal. Bonnie would be outraged if she knew the truth.

"His name is Stefan Salvatore. My boss's son." Caroline sighed.

Bonnie looked at her quizzically.

"That perv that was sleeping with your coworker?"

"No that's Damon. His brother. He's not like that." Caroline answered quickly.

"And?" Bonnie prompted wanting more information.

"And he's a nice guy." Caroline shrugged.

"You killing me here Care! Give me details. I've been dying for you're to meet someone."

"There's not much to tell Bonnie. We had supper and we talked." Caroline shrugged trying to lie to Bonnie was like trying to lie to a priest.

"And you have his jacket on because things got steamy and your shirt is ripped?" Bonnie asked with a tease in her voice.

"No Bonnie! What kind of girl do you take me for?" Caroline said shocked.

She really didn't want to think about doing anything steamy with Stefan Salvatore. She was pretty sure that it wouldn't do any good on her conscious or imagination.

"Then why do you have it on?"

"He was scared I was going to catch a cold."

"What did you talk about?" Bonnie inquired.

Caroline should have seen this coming. Bonnie was going to be relentless.

"Levi and Klaus mostly." Caroline answered truthfully.

Bonnie's face pulled up in disgust at the mention of Klaus's name. Then again his name did bring up that expression in nearly everyone's face.

"That must have been one awful conversation talking about him." Bonnie spat.

Caroline looked around feeling awkward. When she was with Klaus she got a lot of slack for being with him but even not being with him still bought up the same slack.

"He wanted to know about him. That's it. I didn't bring him up." Caroline said annoyed.

"You know what I think I should go." Caroline sighed as she turned to leave.

"Don't be like that, Care. I'm sorry I won't bring him up again. Let's have some coffee and you can tell me more about this Stefan guy." Bonnie said apologetically.

Caroline nodded.

Stefan punched the punching bag with vigor. Foo Fighters was playing loudly from the stereo as the sweat poured from his body. He was tense and he needed to work out the tenseness otherwise he wouldn't be able to sleep.

The music suddenly clicked off. Stefan glanced up and saw his brother standing in an Armani suit looking bemused at his brother.

"Brother you should have a woman underneath you to work off all that tension." Damon quipped.

"Damon." Stefan answered before reaching for a bottle of water. He gulped away at the contents before looking at his brother.

"Can I help you?" Stefan asked annoyed that his brother had interrupted him.

"Can't I just pop in and say hello to my little brother?" Damon asked.

Stefan just gave his brother a look that said seriously?

"Damon?" Stefan sighed annoyed at his older brother and his annoying antics.

"Stefan." Damon teased.

Stefan was about to throw his bottle before Damon laughed and made his way over to him.

"Dad was upset today. Turns out his favorite receptionist is leaving." Damon asked eyebrows rose.

Stefan smirked thoroughly pleased that his father was finally starting to pay for his many misgivings.

"Is that so?" Stefan asked.

Damon threw a grey towel towards his brother and crossed his arms.

"I take it she agreed to the plan?" Damon asked bemused that his father's blonde fury secretary had even agreed to his brother's scheme.

"Of course. Unlike you I can be very persuasive. It wasn't hard. She would do anything for her son."

Damon coughed and began unbuttoning his suit.

"Did she agree to the part where you have a child with her?" Damon questioned pulling his suit jacket off and tossing it on to a nearby bench press machine.

Stefan paused before looking at his brother. Damon knew immediately that his brother hadn't told her about the other clause in the will. They had to have a child together before he would inherit any of his mother's money. Adopting Levi didn't qualify as having a child together.

"I'm taking it that you didn't tell her that little detail?" Damon asked.

Stefan pulled on a grey sweatshirt and began rubbing his face with the towel Damon had tossed at him.

"It doesn't matter that I haven't mentioned it to her. If everything goes to plan she'll fall for me." Stefan shrugged his shoulders.

Damon tilted his head curiously.

"Little brother are you sure that you can do that? Have a child with a woman you barely know and spend your whole life with her and not be with anyone else? Didn't that will also say something about till death does you guys part? Meaning you'll be married forever and not a few short years like you probably have told her?"

Stefan glanced annoyed at his brother. He wondered why he had even bothered telling his brother. But then again Damon had agreed to help him, something his father had never offered to do.

"I don't have to worry. It's a business deal strictly and unlike you if I have an itch I can use my hand without being ashamed to do so." Stefan sarcastically quipped.

"Oh dear brother, I wish I had your restraint. But like you said I can't bare to use my hands. I'm not into manual labor. So you're really going through with this?" Damon asked.

Stefan nodded.

"Absolutely."

An: Thank you guys so much for the positive feedback on Problematic Situation really really appreciate it! I will be alternating updates between the Request and Problematic just so that each story can get the attention it deserves. So next week the next chapter of Problematic Situation will be up. So I know I kinda threw in an obvious clause in which Stefan and Caroline would need to have a child. But remember this is Caroline were talking about she might not give in that easy so just letting you all know there will be lots and lots of teasing before these two get it on but when they do it will be explosive lol. Have a great week and I hope you all had a good Easter.

CC